Real Love
by justwanttologin
Summary: Sam and Bella are dating. But can their relationship survive his ex coming back to town?


I wrote this for the Tricky Raven Valentine's Day contest… betaed by Babs81410.

Title: Real Love

Pairing : Bella/Sam

Rating: T

Genre: romance/drama

Prompt: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Disclaimer:

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"So… Bella have you heard Leah is coming back?" Emily, the gossipy waitress at the diner and Leah's cousin, asks me in that snotty I know something you don't know voice.

"Considering she is going to be living in the bedroom next door to me my parents figured they should inform me so yeah I know. I've known for a while now…" I tell her just as snottily. I really don't like her.

"You must be putting a lot of work into this Valentine's Day." She offers and I look at her like she's lost her mind. Valentine's Day is the lamest holiday ever. "You know? Because it was Sam and Leah's big thing and I know she has plans for him…"

Seriously? Hating her more by the second.

"Come on Emily, don't you have tables to wait on or something?" My little step-brother Seth asks her and she glares at him as she walks off.

"So Valentine's Day, Sam and Leah?" I turn on him as soon as she can't hear.

"He's with you now Bells. Leah broke up with him. Don't worry about it, Emily is an idiot. We all know that." He's her cousin too obviously but he's not fooled by her sweet innocent act she plays around his mom and sister.

"But was it a big thing to them?" I ask him again. He's knows me better than to think I would be that easily deterred.

He mumbles something that sounds like engagement then she left and wasn't sure if she was coming back then break up and I something, something and yeah.

"He proposed to her?" I screech then felt really stupid when everyone turns to look at me and Emily is smirking. I want to hit that girl.

"Bells it was 4 years ago. I'm sure Leah is completely different after being in college for all this time. It's not like she ever bothered to come back to see him, or me. And Sam loves you."

Sam also hates Valentine's Day. I thought it was because he was a normal man but now I know the truth.

We've been together for 2 years and while I knew he had dated Leah before she left for college I had no idea it was proposing to her serious.

Sam is 5 years older than me, we met when I applied to be the receptionist at the garage his dad owns and Sam works at. My dad hated us together because of the age difference and because he had dated Leah. I didn't live here when all that was going on. I moved here soon after Leah left choosing to spend the rest of my high school years with my dad instead of my mom, her new boy toy and his little girl, traveling and homeschooling with his baseball team. I got the job and Sam and I started talking whenever he got a break then we started hanging out since I didn't really know anyone yet and it just kind of progressed from there.

I love him and I know he loves me. Emily comes back because she just can't resist I guess.

"Sorry Bella, I didn't mean to start anything. I just know that Sam and Leah had that first time kind of love. You know… like the way you love him, that's the way they loved each other. You only get that first time love once and I've heard it's hard to beat."

"Like you would know," Seth mumbles and she tells him to shut up.

"You're a terrible waitress. I hope you weren't expecting a tip." I tell her making her storm off yet again. Hate her.

The next morning my dad and step-mom pick Leah up from the airport. I am stunned at how beautiful she is and for the first time I do doubt my future with Sam. I've never actually met her since she never came to visit but I've seen pictures and they are nowhere near as beautiful as she is in person.

"Hey Bella, it's good to finally meet you! Come help me put my stuff up and we can get to know each other." She shoves a bag at me then drags me up the stairs. I mouth "help" at Seth but he just laughs.

Once we get to her room she starts unpacking and asking me all these questions, telling me about college and her new job at the hospital and I find myself really liking her. Until she brings up the boy she left behind and intends to win back.

"You mean Sam?" I ask her hoping there is some other boy she left behind.

"Yeah! I guess we were pretty well known but I thought after 4 years people would forget about us. I mean you weren't even in town yet." She looks surprised.

"He's dating someone."

"Yeah Em told me but I'm sure she's no competition. Em says she's still in high school, she's ugly, and totally like a place holder for me. So what do you think of this outfit to see him in?" She holds up jeans that look like they will fit her like a second skin and a sparkly low cut shirt I have no doubt will turn the heads of every man in town, including Sam's.

"She's me. The ugly still in high school place holder is me. And I will not give him up without a fight," I run out of the room and while I hear her calling my name I just grab my car keys and take of driving.

I end up at the beach where Sam and I had our first date, first kiss, and told each other 'I love you' for the first time. I'm going to lose him. Leah is perfect. She has a good job while I'm still in high school. She's Sam's age and she's back. I haven't decided if I want to leave for college or if I want to stay home but I'm 18. He has his whole life here like she does now. He's always talking about how he wants kids but he knows I'm too young for that. She's not. Not to mention she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and I'm so… not.

I sit on the sand with my legs curled up against my chest and cry. And cry and cry until I decide I can give Sam the one thing she can't give him though she might have at one time. I don't know and I don't want to know. I can give him my virginity. We've been together for 2 years but I just haven't been ready.

I get in my car and drive to his house that he shares with his dad who is luckily hardly ever home.

I walk in and yell his name. He comes out of the kitchen smiling but frowns as he notices my red puffy eyes.

"Why were you crying baby girl?" He asks holding me close to him.

"Just a lot of little things. I just need you. Sam… I'm ready to you know. I want you to make love to me." I tell him as bravely as possible, though I don't feel brave at all. I know soon I'm going to lose him but I want this to be with him.

"Um, OK slow down baby. First tell me what happened. I just want to make sure you're making this decision for the right reason." Aggh. I thought men were supposed to lose their minds at the mention of sex.

I can't tell him the real reason so I lie. I tell him that I was thinking about my grandma who died about a year ago and how my grandpa was so sad without her he died shortly after. Then how I was thinking about a story I saw about a car wreck where a bunch of high schoolers died and how life is so short even when it seems long. I just decided that I want to take this step with him because if something should happen to either one of us I want it to be him that I lose it too. Then I hold my breath and hope that he buys my story.

"You're sure baby girl?" He asks. I tell him yes and he kisses me leading me to his bedroom.

While it is nothing like the movies or the books it is amazing but as soon as we are done and he is holding me, whispering sweet things in my ear I start crying.

Alarmed he asks me what's wrong.

"Leah is back in town, she's living with us. She's beautiful." I tell him. Turning over to look at him, I ask him sobbing, "Will you still love me tomorrow Sam? When she comes for you? Will I be enough, once you see her and you remember loving her and wanting to marry her?"

"Holy crap baby, please tell me that this was not about Leah?" I start crying harder and he just holds me close to him rubbing his fingers through my hair whispering he loves me over and over.

"She's beautiful, she was your first love and then you proposed to her!" I try to yell but I sound pathetic.

"Baby girl, I proposed to her because I was stupid and I thought that if I married her it would fix all the problems we had. And we had a lot of problems. Yes she was the first girl I loved but I never loved her nearly as much as I love you. She was my first love but you are real love. I love you enough to know it's OK if we scream and fight. I love you enough to know that you're probably going to go away to college but we will be OK. I love you enough to hate the guys when they are near you even though I know you will never be more than friends with them. I love you enough to let you drive my truck even though you are a terrible driver and I fear my truck's safety. I love you more than I ever knew was possible. I wake up thinking about you. I go to sleep thinking about you and every time I do something dumb at work my dad tells me to stop thinking about Bella. I was over Leah long before I knew you and there is nothing she can do to change that."

"I'm sorry Sam." I whisper and he asks for what. "For having such little trust in you and for lying to you. I love you. I just got scared when I found out you proposed. Then I saw how beautiful she is and she's your age. More where you are in life and…"

"Stop baby, it's OK. I love you and you are beautiful. More beautiful than Leah, more beautiful than anyone."

He kisses me and I curl up into his side until it's time for me to go home and face her. I get home and the house smells wonderful. I realize she must cook because no one else in the house except for me can.

"Bella! I tried to stop you earlier… I didn't know. I won't try to get him back. I don't know you but you are my step-sister and I did leave him. I'm glad he has someone as seemingly awesome as you. Damn Em, I kind of hate her right now. But forgive me? You are not ugly and…"

"I'm nobodies place holder. I forgive you, if you mean it. I love him and I may be in high school but I'm not going to be played. I like you from what I know from this afternoon but you are friend's with Emily so…" She bursts out laughing and I'm totally not sure how to take it.

"I like you Bella and I'm rethinking my love for my cousin." I laugh at that and help her finish dinner.

**5 Years Later**

"You look beautiful Bella. Sam is going to go nuts." Leah tells me spinning me around like a little girl.

"That's the plan. Thank you for being my maid of honor Leah. I love you so much." I tell her trying not to cry because I really don't want to mess up my makeup.

"I love you too Bella, you're the best sister a girl could ask for."

We've had our ups… her talking me through the guilt of lying to Sam and kind of ruining my first time with him and convincing me my relationship with him would survive college.

And we've had our downs… she had a hard time getting over him and she couldn't always keep her jealously from showing and it took her a while to completely see Emily for who she really was but through it all she became my best friend.

Seth comes in and asks if I'm almost ready. I have 5 minutes before I'm supposed to walk down the aisle.

"I'm ready Seth, is Sam?" I question. He just hugs me saying Sam has been ready for the last 7 years.

Leah does one last makeup touch up then I walk out to find my dad ready to walk me down the aisle and give me away to the only man I have ever loved.

I might not have been his first love but I am his real love.


End file.
